I've always been fascinated by sea mammals - dolphins, whales, and yes, manatee! I've had many encounters over the years with dolphins - both in the wild and in captivity. I've been on a whale watching cruise in Hawaii. I've seen manatee in the wild while kayaking. But I've always felt conflicted about swimming with these beautiful animals. After my experience swimming with manatee in Crystal River, Florida I am no longer conflicted - but I do have some opinions! Swimming with manatee is only legal in Crystal River - nowhere else in the United States is it legal to swim with manatee. The animals are endangered and it is very important to care for their wellbeing. They can be easily harmed by accident and on purpose (let's not even get started on the Trump manatee) because they are such docile animals. I'm happy to say that every one of the tour companies in Crystal River that we encountered have a genuine care for protecting these animals and educating the public. We used the ... [ Read More ]
Plantation on Crystal River Resort Review
With all of the COVID travel restrictions this past year we haven't been taking the same type of adventures as we have in the past. That's not all bad though because we're finding some hidden treasures in our backyard! We've taken a few short adventures within the state of Florida and I am so excited to tell you all about the Plantation on Crystal River. Disclosure: We were compensated for our stay in exchange for this review. All opinions are honest and my own. Crystal River, Florida is part of the Nature Coast and only about an hour drive north of Tampa Bay. While it would make a great day trip, we decided to spend the weekend! We've visited several times in the past to Homassasa Springs, Weeki Wachee, and even to Crystal River this past summer. There are several area attractions to see and do in the area if you like to be outdoors enjoying nature. This summer when we stayed I let my brother handle the reservations and he found a charming rental house in the area. This ... [ Read More ]
Meditation Tree Coloring Page
This latest coloring page was a request from a dear friend that I've know virtually (and in person) since I began writing here on my blog. We have met on numerous occasions at blogging conferences and have remained friends virtually. She's teaching a meditation workshop at her church and reached out to see if I could design a coloring page for the attendees to use during their meditation exercises. She shared some of her wishes and items she'd like to see in the coloring page and left the rest up to me. This is the first time creating this style of coloring sheet and it was so relaxing to design! I took inspiration from nature around me and this is where it lead me. I am so pleased with the design and hope that you can use this in your meditation practices as well. I've made this print available in my Etsy shop. SHOP MY COLORING PAGES ... [ Read More ]
Christmas Activity & Coloring Pages – Digital Download
Download the entire 32 page Christmas Activity & Coloring Pages today. Available year-round in my Etsy shop. SHOP NOW I have been dreaming of this project for several years and I finally made time for myself to create a fun activity book and coloring pages for Christmas. I designed all of the artwork and pages on my iPad using an Apple Pencil (think digital sketchbook and pencil). Who this was designed for: Parents to keep their kids entertained over the holiday break or while quarantining at home. Teachers to use in their classrooms for holiday parties.Scouts & clubs to use with their students around the holidays.Adults to use to unwind from a busy day. Some of the pages are simple designs. There are a few "finish this" style designs where you or your child and finish drawing the character, decorate the Christmas tree, or design the perfect gingerbread person. Others are a little more time consuming collages of different design elements that will take longer to ... [ Read More ]
Busch Gardens Tampa Christmas Town 2020
Yes, we did our first theme park during the pandemic and it was safe and enjoyable. Busch Gardens Tampa Christmas Town is a beautiful experience running through January 3, 2021. Safety first. Let's chat about the safety of the park and how they are helping their guests and staff stay healthy. Advance tickets: You'll need to grab your tickets in advance because they are limiting their park capacity this year. Parking & Tram: I would recommend walking into the park instead of taking the tram. That was the only part of the day that didn't feel socially distanced. Temp check & masks! Before you can enter the park everyone walks through a thermal tent that checks for temperatures. Don't forget your mask because they are required throughout the entire park at all times (unless you're eating). It was nice that the employees monitored the masks and kindly requested guests to keep them over their mouth and nose. Animals! Walking through the park felt open and ... [ Read More ]
Tips for Using Google Classroom for Girl Scouts
As we navigate the new school year under COVID conditions, we also navigate new ways to connect and engage our girls in Girl Scouts. I love technology, there's so much that it can do to help us connect better, but I know that it's not everyone's strength. I hope that this guide will help you navigate Google Classroom to keep your Girl Scout troop organized this year. Why Google Classroom? It's easy and everything I already do is in the Google platform. Gmail, Docs, Forms, Files, you name it. It all connects seamlessly and using your Gmail address; no duplicate accounts or logins needed. Yes, that means you need a Gmail email account set up. Most of my parents and girls already have Gmail so this part was easy for us. Don't have a Gmail account yet? Get started here: Set Up a Gmail Account I have a Gmail account, how do I set up Google Classroom? You can do this from a Desktop, Tablet, or Smartphone. From Desktop: From Phone or Tablet, you can download a Google ... [ Read More ]
10 Earth Friendly Raw Ingredients Every DIY-er Needs
I have fallen in love with making my own everything! Seriously, if there's a recipe for it online I'm going to try to make it. Soap, lip balm, whipped body lotion, candles, toner, scented cleaning vinegar, deodorant, and the list goes on and on and on! I've always had fun making new things but since I've started working for The Refillery my interest in the DIY recipes has blossomed! Then a few months ago I was introduced to Simply Earth, an essential oil subscription box that comes complete with recipe cards!! Could it get any better? The only downfall to weekend DIY-fests is running out of or not having the right ingredients. That's what lead me to make this complete list of raw ingredients every DIYer needs at all times. I'll share my favorite places to shop below also if you're looking to add any of these ingredients to your DIY closet. Links in this post contain referral links that help support this blog. Coconut Oil - 100% pure unrefined cold pressed coconut oil! ... [ Read More ]
Glycerine Soap & Essential Oils
This month's Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box just arrived and it's SO.MUCH.FUN! Each month Simply Earth sends subscribers a set of essential oils, recipes cards, and fun accessory items to make the recipes. As an ambassador they are so sweet to send me a complimentary box to share the recipes and contents with you. In the process, I have fallen in love with essential oils! This month's theme is soap making! Inside the box are 3 full size essential oils, a smaller essential oil, aloe glycerine soap base, and a silicone soap mold. Plus six recipe cards!! If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you’ll get a bonus $40 gift certificate when you subscribe to their monthly subscription box. To learn more: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e (referral link) My favorite recipe this month is the Happy Joy Facial Soap. It was super simply and only took a few minutes to make a fancy bar of homemade soap! Happy Joy Facial Soap: 1.5 oz Glycerine Soap Base6 drops of Happy Joy ... [ Read More ]
Simply Earth August Unboxing *Spoilers*
I just received my August (2019) Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box and wanted to reveal the goodies inside! As a member of their Squad ambassador team Simply Earth sent me the box for free AND they have provided me with a coupon code for you! If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you’ll get a bonus $40 gift certificate when you subscribe to their monthly subscription box. To learn more: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e (referral link) I'm learning more and more about Essential Oils and how to safely use them thanks to their fun subscription box and website. They even have a FREE ebook; Essential Oils for Beginners, that is packed full of useful information, dilution guides, and tips for using essential oils with children and pets. It's such a great resource. Want to see what's in the August Essential Oil Recipe Box by Simply Earth?? Inside the August Recipe Box you'll find: -Clear Skin Essential Oils Blend-Frankincense Essential Oils-Rosemary Essential Oils-Clove ... [ Read More ]
Natural Slime Recipe with Psyllium Husk Powder
Post contains affiliate links. A few weeks ago I received a new essential oil subscription box from Simply Earth AND their bonus box. They asked me to join their #squad and share my experiences with you about their program. I've owned several different essential oils over the years but I've never gotten into all the brand oil clubs. Honestly, I'm just now starting to learn how to safely use these oils and incorporate them into some fun DIY recipes around the house. If you'd like to see what's included in the Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Box (and big bonus box) click over using this referral link: http://bit.ly/2XfM77e. If you use coupon code BACKTOCALLEYFREE you'll get a bonus $20 gift certificate! If your kids love making slime like my kids do, they will LOVE this recipe! This recipe does require heating the ingredients so make sure a parent helps and make sure you let this cool down for at least 20 minutes before letting your kids play with it. It gets very hot!! ... [ Read More ]